I Might Just Love You!
by Meian Rose
Summary: Nezumi was the first to bear witness to his roommate's dilemma. He knew this was going to be an issue-Not everyone was capable of knowing a beautiful sight once they've seen one, and Shion surely was a beautiful sight, but nonetheless. No one ever said dealing with an infectious disease as a college freshman was going to be easy. Luckily, Nezumi's there every step of the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Quick A/N: I'm just going to consider Inukashi a girl in narrative terms. Because I don't care. **

* * *

First week of college, always a rush.

However, Nezumi had his eye set on this one particular university, and he'd done enough _studying_ as well as quite a bit of snooping with the held of an inside resource, to know what's lurking around the corner. He'd known every club and every teacher, the high points, low points, and the in-between's. He was set.

Now for the hardest part; Meeting the roommate.

He slipped into the dormitory, systematically avoiding eye contact, and made his way up to his room, alone.

He'd already crept in and out, dragging his belongings up and down the halls, which weren't all that many, really. In total, he'd taken three boxes. One box specifically made to carry clothes, a second for toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush, etc. The third held his precious, _precious_ books.

He would have loved to carry the rest of his collection, but apparently there was a limit as to what his car was able to carry..Not that he wasn't perfectly capable of making second trips over breaks.

Oh! He almost forgot.

One box he'd kept under his arm, three holes poked in the top, held his also precious, three little rats.

..Hopefully his roommate wouldn't mind.

Well, nonetheless, he was prepared.

He'd organized a mental list of questions he'd be sure to ask once he confronted his roommate. Once all questions were honestly answered, he'd then decide whether or not he'd keep or kick whoever it was to the curve.

Though, he supposed he wasn't too picky, so the latter was less likely to happen unless this person was absolutely unbearable in any sense.

He'd managed to state he didn't care in regards toward gender, and he held no specific qualifications. He typically was quite laid back, unless you stepped on his toes...then and only then will he snap, and if you're lucky, leave you with a scrape or a bruise here and there.

Fortunately, he'd left his pocket knife at home.

"Nezumi!"

A head peered through an open door, eyeing the contents.

"Inukashi?", he sighed, "What is it?"

"That's a nice way to greet a friend.", she huffed.

..Was it a she? Nezumi couldn't quite tell, he'd never really cared.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to meet your roommate. I'm dying to know who you're stuck with for the next semester."

"What's it to you?", he smirked, "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"In your dreams. I'm just here to torture you."

"Yeah, well you're gonna have a long wait. You're not gonna piss me off that easily..By the way, sorry to burst your bubble, but I haven't met him yet."

"Him? So you know it's going to be a he?"

He shrugged, "If it is, I don't care. If it's a girl, I don't care either. I'm not even sure what you are, and I'm still your friend, aren't I?"

"You're just lucky my cousin goes here! If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't know a damn thing about this school. Then I bet you'd be stuck in one of those..other schools!"

He clapped mockingly, "Lovely vocabulary..It's about as complex as a chimpanzee's."

With a final huff, Inukashi stuck her tongue out and shut the door, leaving Nezumi alone.

_Squeak._

With his rats.

* * *

He waited, and waited, and waited for what felt like forever, which was, in reality, an hour or two until his roommate finally decided to make an appearance.

Even so, it was a very brief conversation. Which, on some level, aggravated him.

The boy pushed through the door, in a rush.

He held a stack of two boxes, and a jacket thrown over the top. He threw the boxes carelessly on top of the nearest bed, which luckily, was not Nezumi's. He barely turned to greet the boy, as he apparently hadn't noticed there was anyone else in the room.

"Yo.", Nezumi lazily called, laid back on the bed, flipping through a book.

"Oh, hello.", he waved almost just as lazily, slipping his coat on.

"Name?"

"S-Shion.", he huffed as if he was out of breath.

..Now that he took a closer look, his cheeks did look rather flushed. But, that might have just been the snow. It was a little chilly outside..

Aside from the flush faced, he didn't look too odd. His hair was a rough, dull color, which parted in all sorts of different directions, and his eyes were the same brown hue.

"So..You're my roommate?"

He nodded hastily, "I guess so. Sorry, I have to go, I have allot of stuff to do."

Before either could say another word, he darted out the door.

And, much to Nezumi's surprise, he hadn't seen the twerp the rest of that day, or the day following.

"Inukashi."

She passed Nezumi down the hall, stopping for a brief moment to respond.

"What is it?"

"What can you tell me about Shion?", he asked in a low whisper, "Have you ever heard of him?"

She thought for a moment, "Can't say I have. Maybe I need a reminder.."

She gestured toward his pocket, the very same that just so happened to hold his wallet.

"You owe me.", he scowled, "I got you out of rooming with that pervert downstairs, and you said you would repay me. Now, I can always tell him the truth, and explain that I'm _not_ and never will be your boyfriend-"

"I haven't heard of him!", she flushed at the memory, "I don't know anything about him. Alright? Ask my cousin, he might know something."

"He just graduated, how the hell am I supposed to ask him?"

She blinked in surprise as if the thought had just occurred to her, "Oh, I guess you're right..Looks like you're on your own then, Nezumi. Don't worry, I'm sure he's nothing to sneeze at."

"For your sake, you'd better hope your right."

She rolled her eyes, walking away.

* * *

Oddly enough, he hadn't seen the kid at school, either. Apparently he'd called in sick or absent due to a personal emergency, or something or the other. All he knew was that whenever Shion's name was called on roll, or the student list, an official looking man, most likely a teacher, or staff would show up and break the news to whomever professor, and he or she would simply skip the name.

Now _that_ was odd.

* * *

Down the hallway, he'd come across a rather intriguing sight.

"Hello!", a girl dressed in what appeared to be a cheerleaders uniform had called out, beckoning him.

He cocked his head, "Isn't it a little early in the year for cheerleaders?"

"We're not cheerleaders.", she chuckled, "We consider ourselves a part of leadership..Although they haven't really been recruited yet. We're just eager, you could say."

"..Right.", he nodded, not wanting nor caring enough to disagree, "Did you need me?"

"We're having freshman sign a get well soon card for a fellow student. It's a really unfortunate case."

"Unfortunate case? How so? Is he dying?", he inwardly chuckled, trying his best to sound polite.

"Well..", she hesitated, glancing back at the others before pulling him closer, lowering her voice, "We're really not supposed to talk about it..It's supposed to fall under the confidentiality category, but I'm sure it's alright. You're Nezumi, right? His roommate?"

"..How do you know my name?"

"Inukashi told us."

"If you're talking about Shion, then yes, he was supposed to be my roommate but I've only ever met him once. Never seen him after that."

"That's a shame.", she sighed, "He's a really sweet boy.."

Nezumi shrugged, "What is it you're trying to sign again? A get well soon card? Is he sick?"

"You could say that. Apparently, Shion was subjected to a deadly disease and it took hold sooner than he'd expected..Actually, he was unaware of ever getting infected. But, rumor has it that if the disease isn't treated soon enough, you're likely to die within twenty four hours of catching it. Isn't that tragic?"

He nodded, "So that's where he's been? Fighting off this weird disease? All on the first week?"

She nodded back, "I've heard that only a handful of people have ever survived..but word is, Shion's in the hospital right now, recovering!"

"Really?"

"That's right! As a reward for being such a trooper, we've decided to show our support by giving him a little _welcome back_ gift.

"..Does anyone really know Shion?"

"..Not many. I think..Ah, that's right, Safu! His childhood friend knows him well enough, but as far as I know she enrolled in an entirely different university, halfway across the world!"

"Right.."

"So, are you gonna sign?"

He thought for a moment, "...You know what, I think I'll just give him a present once he gets back. That'll probably mean a little more. I'll be living with him, either way."

"Be careful with that!", she warned in a quiet tone, "You never know if he's contagious. If he shows any signs of relapsing..even the slightest sign of a cold, or a fever, if he even sneezes-!"

"I think I'll be fine."

"If you say so.", she shrugged as she waved him off, "Bye, Nezumi!"

He lazily waved goodbye, hardly sparing her a second glance.

* * *

Nezumi was in the middle of one of his favorite books, a classic, when the door opened.

The rats squeaked a bit in excitement, earning an irritated hush.

"I heard you were out sick all-"

Hastily, the boy ran to the bathroom and shut the door, locking it tightly.

Curiously, Nezumi stood and waited outside, sitting himself down on Shion's bed.

"..Something wrong?"

"N-Nothing!", the voice he barely recognized called, "I'm fine! I'm just..I want to shower."

He shrugged, "It's all yours."

So, he waited thirty..nearly forty five minutes before growing just a bit impatient.

"Shion.", he knocked, "Shion, are you alright in there?"

"F-Fine!", the voice called, "I'm fine! I'm..drying off."

"You've been in there over half an hour. Your body's gonna shrivel up and die if you don't come out soon."

"Thank..Thank you for your..concern.."

"..You don't sound alright, Shion."

"I'm fine."

"Don't say you're fine while you're hiding in the bathroom. It doesn't make sense."

"No, really!", he insisted, "..I..I don't know your name."

"Nezumi."

"Nezumi..Doesn't that mean..?"

"Rat? It does. Suiting name, if I do say so myself."

"...Do you like rats?"

He nodded, though Shion couldn't possibly see that, "I have three of my own. You don't mind?"

"I..I don't mind. I love animals."

"Well, as long as you don't have any dogs, I'm fine with whatever you decided to room with."

"Oh..I don't have any pets of my own."

Nezumi shrugged, "Well, if we're done changing the subject, why don't you tell me why you're hiding?"

"Why I'm..Why I'm hiding?"

He said nothing, waiting patiently with one hand on the door.

"...It's fine. You don't have to worry.."

"Shion, don't give me that-"

"No, I mean..I've already asked the headmaster. It's possible to transfer dormitories..If you have a problem with your roommate, you can move..I checked. You don't have to worry, if you want me to leave, I can-"

"What the hell are you talking about? Does this have something to do with the disease?"

Shion said nothing, confirming his suspicions.

"So..You're worried about being contagious? Is that it?"

Neither said a word. Impatiently, Nezumi picked the bathroom lock and shoved his way inside, before Shion was able to hide again.

"N-Nezumi!", he squeaked, covering his body which was wrapped comfortably in bandages, save for a healthy portion of skin above the shoulders. His neck was covered, however.

Then and only then did Nezumi realize the true depth in which this kid had been forced to endure.

Apparently, the side affects of the disease were fairly visible, and didn't take long to claim its victim. Shion's hair had changed entirely, the previously dull shade of brown now replaced with a vibrant white. His eyes were now a blood red, mimicking the finest red wine. To top it all off, a scar that perfectly matched a red snake, coiled up and around his body, up to the side of his face.

"So that's what happened.."

"You..You're not..scared?"

"Scared?", he chuckled, "Why would I be scared? You're not contagious. You're a survivor."

"Thank..Thank you..", he blushed slightly.

Now, whether it was the rush of seeing his roommate's newest form, or the fact he was enjoying his reaction, he wasn't sure. All he knew was, he found himself drawing in, closer and closer, until he met Shion in front of the mirror.

He tucked a hand underneath the boy's chin, gently lifting his face, "Now, in my opinion, your body really is beautiful, contagious or not."

Needless to say, Shion was a bright red, face flushed and all.

Though that wasn't enough, Nezumi decided, as he gently pressed his lips against his roommates, before quickly, but smoothly retreating. And just like that, he walked out, shut the door, and carried on as if nothing happened.

* * *

**A/N: **

**I barely remember writing this. What's happening to me. Expect a part two. Probably. **


	2. Chapter 2

***Since I didn't include this in the first chapter***

**Disclaimer: /I was told I should include this/ I don't own No.6/Shion/anything/ever. **

**Warning: Suggestive content up ahead. But I'm too much of a wimp to write _very_ suggestive content, if you catch my d-r-i-f-t-what's wrong with me-**

* * *

At this point, Nezumi was a little intrigued at the lengths to which this kid would go in order to hide his scars..All in vain, naturally, given it was pretty hard to hide something wrapped all around your body; Not to mention the eye color. The dye helped, but as he apparently held a low budget, the brand was cheap. Therefore, the tiniest bit of water revealed his silver tresses.

And the others seemed to notice.

The first week of Shion's return had gone exactly as expected. The others, whom of which lacked the capability of showing compassion, were quick to exile the child for the sake of their own health. Which, served no true purpose, seeing as the chances of Shion_ still_ being contagious was a slim to none. In fact, it was rather childish.

These morons acted as though Shion still had the _cooties_!

"Idiots.", Nezumi would mutter as he walked by.

By the looks of them, they were freshman as well, and their attitude surely showed.

..Though, they did look _quite_ familiar.

Ah, that's right! He'd seen the three of them together at the "Welcome Back" frat party, which he honestly had no business going to. Inukashi insisted that she take her, seeing as she was having a rather hard time proving she was a girl..Not that she'd really made the effort to deny being a boy, either.

Nonetheless, he somehow ended up her personal escort, and managed to drink himself dead..Or at least, he tried. No matter how many shots he'd taken, the idiots just _wouldn't go away_.

Shion was the center of gossip, lately.

Not only had that little _charming_ group taken an interest in his dilemma, but they'd found his situation rather pathetic, and most of all, _vulnerable_.

Needless to say, Nezumi was more than a little fed up with the likes of them.

Luckily, he was in a rather good mood. That little kiss proved to be a little uplifting..Though, the two acted as though nothing had happened afterwards. Shion threw his clothes on and hopped straight to bed.

But, that was understandable. He was sure he would have felt just as tired, in Shion's position.

And the worst had yet to come.

Early morning arrived, the two quickly dressed and prepped for another day.

..Nezumi did; Shion wasn't quite sure what to expect. He had, after all, managed to miss the entire first week of school. So, he was doomed to walk around with the expression equivalent to that of a lost pup, while Nezumi watched from afar and admired his innocence.

However, the entirety of all he'd observed was far from pleasant.

Sure, Shion was a fine sight, and there was nothing wrong with that..It was a little endearing to watch the boy get lost, take a wrong turn, or stumble and trip on his feet once in a while, though never truly hitting the ground. Inukashi was quickly taken by him, and also seemed a bit entranced by his smile..but Nezumi had nothing to worry about, just yet. She showed no signs of true infatuation.

And then there were those _not_ so fine moments, where Shion was alone. He wandered around aimlessly, a faint smile lingering, but sadness constantly present. His eyes were glued to the floor and his hand practically twitched as he rubbed the outside of his long sleeves.

The contacts in his eyes were irritating, as he kept rubbing and poking at the skin, as if trying to pop the pair back into place.

However sad the sight may have been, Nezumi wasn't sure why the boy was so worried.

He honestly adored the kid's new form. It was rather charming..He just wasn't so sure the others would feel that way, knowing he'd just returned, and was currently some-what in the process of recovering from a near-fatal disease that would surely wipe out the masses should it ever be exposed..

Well, chances were chances.

_"Is that Shion?"_

_"That's him! Can you believe it?"_

_"I heard the disease really took a toll on him..but no one knows what happened!"_

_"Really? What do you think's wrong with him?"_

_"I'm not sure. Do you know?" _

_"What's that, ladies? What's wrong with Shion? How should I know?"_

_"Can't you find out!?"_

_"What's in it for me?"_

_"We'll think of something!" _

_"Well, when you put it that way.."_

_"So do you know?"_

_"As far as I can tell, the kid's faking his hair, that's not a natural color. It looks dyed. The eyes are probably contacts, he wont stop rubbing them..and..a vague part of his skin looks darker than the rest, but I might just be imaging that."_

The dull conversation continued, girlish shrieks of shock and inquiry fell on deaf ears as they proceeded to shout toward Shion, who was a little too enveloped in his newest _gift_ to truly pay attention to what they were saying.

He looked content, smiling, even. He sat on a bench, alone. For once his hands were calm, the shaking had all but vanished, and in his grasp, he held what looked, _perhaps_, to be the finest copy of Macbeth one could manage. What was Nezumi doing with it?

Well, nonetheless he accepted his roommate's kind offer, and practically melted.

It was a late Friday afternoon, when he was finally approached.

Three boys, around his age or perhaps older, had daringly walked towards the timid kid, who still paid little to no attention. He smiled his troubles away, up until he peered up upon realizing the sudden increase of shade, which was nothing more than a bulky wall of sophomore's.

"Hello.", he shyly whispered, feigning a smile, "Is there something you need?"

"Nothing.", sighed the tallest, "We just have a few questions for you, that's all."

Shion nodded, folding the book and placing it next to his bag, under the bench.

"First question: That disease you caught, it was that weird parasitic thing that kills you instantly, right?"

He nodded, "...That's true, for the most part."

"If it's supposed to kill you instantly, how did you survive?"

"Oh..", he thought for a moment, "Well, I would have to explain-"

"Please, we have time."

Though slightly intimidated by their persistence, he continued, "Once you've been subjected to the disease..it takes time to ripen. The virus enters your body without leaving a single trace behind, and by the time you realize you've caught it, it's too late. I was one of the lucky ones.."

"How did survive?", he repeated.

"..When the disease begins to eat away at you, pieces of your skin will rot, and disintegrate until you're nothing more than a pile of rubble. You can't even recognize the victim anymore; It's as if it completely drains away your life force.."

They urged him to continue.

"Well, it happened one day, early morning..It was the first day of school, to be exact. I was in the bathroom, showering. I was just about ready for school when all of a sudden, I felt this aching pain on my hands. I looked down, and pieces of my skin had turned black. Then, the ache spread to my neck. I panicked, and I didn't know what to do..So, I took the initiative and did the only thing that made sense.."

"And? What was it?"

"I cut it off."

"You what?!"

Shion said nothing, now facing a different direction.

".._Something doesn't add up here_."

"_Yeah_, you lying to us?"

"You shouldn't hide the truth, _Shion_."

"Lying? I'm not-I'm not hiding anything, I swear!", he lied.

"Really?"

Shion held his breath as a hand was placed around his throat, rubbing the skin awkwardly until it pulled away. The offender looked down at his own smudged fingertips, recognizing the faintest hint of women's blush.

"Is this makeup, Shion?"

"What are you trying to pull, here?"

"N-Nothing! I swear!"

Another licked his own finger, and before Shion was able to protest, a mucky hand was placed in his formerly brown locks.

"Is that white, I see?"

"It can't be.."

"You guys, I think there's only one way to find out."

"N-No..", Shion begged, "Please, just, leave me alone!"

"We can't do that, Shion.", the familiar taller said, disapproval plainly written on his face, "You kept secrets from us. Don't you know you shouldn't do such a thing to your fellow peers? That's very unprofessional."

"Please let me go!", he begged again as a hand coiled itself around his waist, followed by another.

Eventually, his weight was lifted off the bench and carried practically off the air. Or, it would have been, should Shion be just a bit shorter. Luckily, his height gave him the smallest amount of leverage to fight.

He tried, but his efforts went unnoticed. He struggled and squirmed but the boy held him tightly.

He stilled for a moment, for nothing but a chance to realize his surroundings.

Where were they taking him, anyway?

.._The swimming pool? _

Shion felt his own face losing color as he sank below the boy's grip, attempting to struggle once more.

"Let me go!", he screamed a little louder than anticipated, "Stop it! I want to go home!"

"You should have thought about that before you kept this from us, contagion!"

"I'm not contagious!"

"If you aren't contagious, this shouldn't be a problem!"

With nothing left to say, he found himself in the air for a brief moment, dreading his decent.

As expected, he hit the cold water, and it racked his nerves.

But the sudden tremors racking his body wasn't nearly as painful as watching the taunting laughs from up above.

* * *

Nezumi, on a whim, decided to pay Inukashi a phone call.

He didn't really want to say that he was friends with her, but when one was in need of information, she was definitely the go-to. Sure, she wasn't very reliable in most senses, but sniffing out specific detail was definitely what he needed right now. Therefore, Inukashi couldn't have been of more service.

He began with a simple question.

"What can you tell me about this parasitic disease that Shion contracted?"

She hesitated, shuffling through a few books in her own dorm, propping the phone in between her shoulder and neck area, cocking her head to the side uncomfortably to keep it in place, "Give me a second. I haven't done much research on it, yet."

"Why not?"

"In case you haven't noticed, my roommate doesn't have a parasitic disease! It's none of my concern what happens to Shion, you know?"

"Obviously." he scoffed, "But that's not what I'm asking you. I'm not asking if you researched Shion. I want you to tell me everything you know about this supposedly man-eating disease."

"..Why do you care, Nezumi?"

He practically felt her complacent smirk through the phone, "None of your damn business.", he shrugged, "I'm proposing a deal. You interested?"

She laughed in a mocking tone, "I never said I wasn't going to do this for you. I just want to know why you care so much. I would never have thought that you'd get so attached to your little roommate _this_ fast."

"It has nothing to do with me. I'm just doing Shion a favor. In case I ever need something from him, he'll have no choice but to repay me. This is nothing but a selfish act in the making, got it?"

"Oh, I've got it, loud and clear. That sounds like something you would do, alright."

For a moment, he heard nothing but the sound of a few pages being flipped and a swear thrown at random every now and then. He was going to call her attention back to the phone, but she interrupted a second prior, "I've got it!"

"You've got it?"

"..Damn. It's not enough."

"What do you mean it's not enough?"

"It's giving me the basics about the disease, but it's an extremely new model. You're lucky I have this, Rikiga managed to stash it for me. Lucky for you, right?"

He sighed, "Does it say anything on...What does it say?"

"You're looking for a specific topic?"

"Not me, Shion. Shion needs it."

"Why doesn't Shion ask me himself?"

"Because he doesn't know you."

"But he knows you. Surely you would have filled him in on any information about me and what I do, right? Like a trustworthy business partner."

"We are _not_ business partners."

"Well, anyway. What is _Shion_ looking for?"

"..How to treat overnight pain. It should fall under the category of aftermath."

She nodded, "It's right here, but there's no sure fire way to get rid of the pain. It's just a bunch of crap that soothes aching muscles or reduces any fevers or side affects that may come with recovery. Not surprising really, since so little people have survived."

"They managed to stop it before it became a national outbreak. Count yourself lucky. If that thing had ever spread to campus, we would have practically been walking in our graves."

"That's true."

"How fast can you get that book here?"

"..In a matter of minutes, why?"

"I need it by tonight."

She audibly groaned through the phone, "So much work."

"You owe me." he declared as he hung up.

He crawled on his bed and shuffled around for the book he was hiding, before the door creaked open.

"..Shion?"

The boy turned around, and faltered upon sight of Nezumi. Immediately, he sank to his knees.

Nezumi took the hint and hopped off the bed, rushing over to Shion's side and placing a hand on his shoulder, "Shion, what's wrong?"

His head was covered by a towel, but the rest of him was soaking wet, which was definitely bad news in this weather. He rushed Shion to the bathroom, already filling the tub with warm water.

"Damn. You're gonna catch hypothermia, what the hell is wrong with you?! Now isn't exactly the best time to go for a swim, Shion!"

"N..Nezumi.. I.."

"Don't say anymore. Explain after, bathe now. Leave the water warm, don't touch the temperature. If it feels too hot, turn it down a bit..and wash the dye out of your hair.

He ripped the towel off his head and any lecture left in him had faltered.

Most of the white in his hair had returned and blotches of brown dye were splattered here and there unevenly, some of the excess dye dripping off his bangs and painting his face.

Nezumi sighed, knowing this had probably been a long day for Shion, and gave him privacy as he undressed.

* * *

Inukashi was faithful with delivering the book, and received a tip for her troubles, _surprisingly_.

Though it was followed with another warning, and more or less led to a death threat. Either way, it was nice of Nezumi to offer a fair trade for once, so she accepted and never bothered to ask about Shion, who was changing into dry clothes.

If anything, Nezumi was curious, though.

What exactly had happened to Shion over the course of the day? Word is, he used to be an economics major or something or other in grade school, so wouldn't he have the sense to know the consequences of taking a dive in _this_ kind of weather?

Then again, it was doubtful that Shion would willingly jump in, knowing his false appearance would falter, and easily reveal the truth of what the disease had done to him. Nezumi, for some odd reason, loved the way he looked in his present state, but knowing that alone, wouldn't Shion _avoid_ water?

Deciding against racking his brain for the answer, he decided to help Shion to bed.

He was sure the boy was alright now. But, as he turned to walk back to his own bed, he felt a faint hand on the back of his jacket, tugging lightly.

"..What is it, Shion?"

"Nezumi..Can I read one of your books?"

Though a little surprised, he thought for a moment.

"Sleep first, then read. It's getting late, anyway. Just be thankful that tomorrow's Saturday."

He nodded weakly, laying his head back down on the pillow and quickly fell asleep.

That hadn't lasted long, as Nezumi expected.

Throughout the late night, Shion had a habit of tossing, turning, kicking and whimpering in his sleep. And frankly, he couldn't blame the kid for feeling so uncomfortable. He'd never really given much thought as to why the kid was in pain, or whether it was emotional or physical, or both, but some time ago he'd decided that he may as well help Shion.

Don't get him wrong, this was for his own personal gain. He was getting his own kind of strange satisfaction out of doing this, and that's all there was to it.

..Not to mention that it was hard to deny the fact that Shion was rather attractive. Surprisingly, that "snake" made him all the more alluring.

He flipped through the first page of the book as soon as the first whine had escaped.

"Hang in there, Shion." he mumbled to no one in particular, knowing very well that Shion was still asleep.

He skimmed the first page or two but shuffled through the chapters as the second groan of pain grew louder. He desperately, though composedly searched for the chapter regarding ways to treat and soothe the pain of the disease that was surely left behind. He stopped only once to glance at a rat that had scurried next to him and up his arm, on his shoulder to skim through the book as well.

"Found it!" he declared silently, placing his thumb beneath the paragraph labelled "Treatment".

"_Rub necessary amount of rubbing alcohol on the skin and gently trace the scar as far as it may reach, presumably across the length of the body. Massage the veins with the same treatment, but keep the rubbing alcohol away from the eyes, nose, or mouth. Include room temperature water, preferably fresh for consumption. Provide a comfortable surface for yourself or patient.._" he read aloud.

Unimpressed, he took a second glance at Shion. Was that really all it took? He could have done that blindfolded..

He shut the book and placed it under his pillow, silently ordering the rat to keep silent and found himself on Shion's bed, lazily shaking the boy awake.

"N..Nezumi?" he mumbled tiredly, "What's the matter?"

He shrugged, playing dumb, "You woke me up again."

"...Sorry about that." he shamefully rubbed the back of his head, and attempted to turn over.

Taking the initiative, Nezumi decided with little to no common sense in place, that now would be a good time to check the scar..Out of curiosity, of course. He just wanted to know if it really did stretch across his entire body..He thought he'd seen the boy's scar before, but most of himself was covered with a rather obstructive towel.

So, he lifted the boy's shirt up.

"N-Nezumi!" he shrieked and tugged the fabric down in protest, "What are you doing?"

He sighed as if it was obvious, "You were whining in your sleep. If you're in this much pain, I'll help you."

"..Pain?"

"You mean you don't know?"

Sheepishly, he kept his back turned, "No..I know. I can feel it in my sleep, but I didn't know I was screaming that loudly. I'm sorry, Nezumi. I swear I'll be quiet next time."

"That's not the problem here, Shion. I could give a damn if I heard you or not. The problem is, it wouldn't go over well with my conscience if I let it slide. So, for the sake of being a good person and helping you out, I'll give you a hand." smirking, he leaned in closer to Shion's ear, "Besides, a red snake coiled around your body is pretty sexy, don't you think?"

Though Nezumi couldn't quite see it through the dimly lit room, not to mention the fact he was burying his head in a pillow now, Shion was blushing wildly up to his ears.

"I-It's not necessary, Nezumi."

"Of course it is. Don't complain. Just wait there and undress. I'll go get the alcohol."

Without thinking, Shion grabbed his wrist. Wide eyes stared back at him for a brief moment, before they shifted expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

He quickly apologized through a slight stutter, "I..I'm sorry, Nezumi. I..I just..Please, don't trouble yourself!"

"What are you talking about now? You were fine with it the other day."

"I know, I know it's just..I.."

Nezumi grabbed his chin impatiently, "..What exactly happened today, Shion?"

Shion tried to avoid making any eye-contact with his, apparently, very ill-tempered roommate. But the hand kept his gaze in place. He managed to glance away, but that only aggravated Nezumi.

Knowing very well that he wasn't going to get anywhere soon, he took abrasive action. In one swift movement, Nezumi was straddling Shion, and pinning both wrists above his head.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me about this, Shion."

His eyes were stern, but somehow Shion knew he only meant the best. Though this kindness wasn't exactly what he expected from Nezumi. Nonetheless, it was something that shouldn't be taken for granted.

"..Today..I..fell in the pool." he shied away, but Nezumi only locked both wrists in one hand and managed to regain control of Shion's chin. He kept their eyes locked.

"Shion, you're lying to me."

"N-No I'm not!" he insisted, now blushing at the suggestive position and slightly struggling.

"Yes." Nezumi insisted with equal force, though he wore a knowing smile, "You are. Think, Shion. Why would anyone in their right mind be in the pool room with the weather freezing up like this? The only reason that pool isn't frozen too, is because it's indoors, right?"

Reluctantly, Shion nodded.

"And you don't even take that class, so I know you weren't there for any real reason."

He remained silent, but nodded along.

"So..I'll just take a wild guess. You weren't there on your own will, right? Something else must have either lured you, or forced you into the pool room. And based on the fact you have the inability to see how desirable you are, you didn't jump in on your own, am I right?"

He began to protest, "H-Hey! Please..don't say those things!"

Nezumi shrugged it off and cocked his head as if everything he'd just said was obvious from the beginning. Shion's blush darkened. Upon feeling his own face heating up, he realized it was about time for a distraction.

But as he opened his mouth to tell Nezumi that he should go and fetch the rubbing alcohol if he was really going to help him, or go back to bed, a sudden burst of pain erupted throughout Shion's body. He whimpered in pain but quickly moved to shut his mouth.

Nezumi snapped back to reality and suddenly remembered what all the fuss had been about in the first place.

Relieved that he hadn't completely lost control, he set Shion free. Though, he was surprised. Had that been his ultimate goal, all along? All he really wanted to do was confront Shion?

He opened the cabinet drawer and found an array of useless cleaning supplies, cotton swabs, band-aids, cotton balls, and at last, the rubbing alcohol. Another familiar cry erupted from the other room.

Perhaps soothing the pain was nice, too.

* * *

Shion really didn't want to admit it, in fear of sounding childish as he'd just spent what felt like forever, arguing with Nezumi, in a fight to strip himself. His options were undress, or have Nezumi undress him if he was unable to do it himself.

He tried. He really, really tried but the pain wouldn't stop. It felt as though his body was burning and he couldn't think straight. Each time he came close to unsnapping a button or tugging on his pants, the frail feeling in his fingers would amplify. His hands felt utterly useless.

In the end, he complied with Nezumi and demanded that his roommate keep his distance from any.._vital_ regions.

But now that he was on his back, with Nezumi rubbing the alcohol across the scar in gentle, circular motions, he wasn't really sure _what_ he was fighting for.

Nezumi decided that he didn't really mind helping Shion.

Somewhere around the waist area, he'd lost all sense of concentration and decided to rub wherever he deemed fit..which was practically every part of his body. Shion didn't seem to mind, and he was doing it subconsciously, so he didn't stop. His mind wandered around stupid little things as he began to trace the outline of his shoulder blades, moving away from any dangerous opportunities.

"Nezumi.." Shion unconsciously moaned through his dazed state, "Can I lay down now?"

Nezumi blinked all dirty thoughts away, "Right."

Shion shifted on his back and his eyes shut in a relaxing manner as the alcohol made contact with his skin once more. Nezumi's fingers were quite happy as well, practically pouncing the young boy's delicate body. All though not as sensual as he would have liked, he was happy as well. Shion looked so calm and angelic, he couldn't find the strength to stop, even if he wanted to.

Soon, he felt himself drifting off too.

Not that he was tired.

In fact, nothing in the world could have convinced him to sleep after what had just ensued. Shion was actually letting him feel the boy up, without even realizing it! Did he realize just how soft his skin really was?

Glancing back at Shion, he realized that his thoughts must have drifted off too far, because now Shion was struggling to keep one eye open. Unsure of why, Nezumi glanced down at his own work and realized the spot he had been rubbing was _dangerously_ too close to home.

Shion was confused when he suddenly stopped his hand, and without realizing the severity of the situation, he simply smiled with half-lidded, tired eyes and thanked Nezumi for his kindness.

Before he lost all control, Nezumi brushed it off and made way for his own bed, in an attempt to get _as far away from Shion's as possible_.

A tug on his sleeve stopped him, "Nezumi.."

"..What is it, Shion?" he hesitated, not daring to turn around.

"Will you..Will you stay with me?"

"..Stay with you? What are you talking about?"

"You know.." he yawned, "I wanna sleep with you."

His eye twitches, knowing very well Shion couldn't be that up front. So, he was either dreaming or Shion was exhausted. Either way, this boy was killing him.

"You do know what you're saying, don't you, Shion?"

He nodded, pulling on Nezumi like a child, "If you sleep here, then I can hug you and you can hold me just like you say you want to, right? Then we'll both be..really..happy.." he trailed off, obviously fighting another yawn.

At this point, the older roommate wasn't quite sure what to make of this kid now. Not a moment ago he was down on his knees, begging the pain that was racking him all over to _go away_, and in his desperate state, allowed Nezumi to approach his body in such a manner, but even so, it was a fight all the way through. What happened to him?

He contemplated his options and weighed the chances of waking up to a pissed off Shion, coming to no simple conclusion.

Sometime around coming closer to his decision, though not quite there yet, Shion's grip tensed on his arm. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of glancing back at Shion. And forget angelic, this kid looked like a regular angel that fell from heaven above. Which was ironic, considering the fact that the god watching him right now was showing no sign of mercy, anytime soon.

Impatiently, Shion shifted himself to sit on his knees, and crawled closer to Nezumi, roughly hugging the boy in a way that forced the two back on the bed, much to the latter's surprise.

The younger smiled as he soon had Nezumi under the covers, "Thank you, Nezumi. Sweet dreams."

And without any further hesitation, whether it be the unlikely chances of the alcohol seeping into his brain, the sheer tiredness of it all, or the way he cherished Nezumi for unknowingly supporting his recovery, he planted a simply, sweet kiss on the boy's lips, and fell fast asleep.

Nezumi took the hint, and somewhere throughout the night, it was of his own subconscious that his arms had found themselves wrapped around the delicate body, in a way that almost seemed a bit possessive.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Alright, for now I'm considering this finished. No guarantees but when I say that, I also mean 'don't trust me', so don't take what I say to heart, but this was supposed to be allot longer. I feel this may be a good place to stop though, I don't know.**

**P.S.**

**I get dumb when I'm tired.**

**Like not even the adorable dumb. I once got so tired, I forgot that Canada was a country.**


	3. Chapter 3

It was needless to say that Nezumi was just a little confused the next morning, when he awoke to a half naked, sleeping Shion, clinging to his arms; not that he minded too much. After slipping out of bed when last nights events suddenly reoccurred, though slightly disappointing, he shrugged it off and acted as though nothing had happened at all. Shion followed suit, apologizing for being such a bother.

That was basically how their morning began before they parted ways.

Knowing it was Saturday morning, Nezumi decided to sleep in..on his own bed. Shion, though reluctant, received a phone call prompting him to leave the comforts of the dorm. He seemed uncomfortable and as much as Nezumi would have liked to convince him to stay behind if he really wasn't feeling up to going out, he kept his mouth shut. Shion certainly didn't need to be coddled, he was a grown boy.

But the face he made when he walked out that door and waved goodbye with a weak smile, was nearly enough to provoke Nezumi into jumping out of bed and stopping the boy before he slipped even further away.

As if he hadn't enough to deal with, he'd only managed two hours of sleep before fully deciding to wake up at exactly fifteen til twelve o'clock, early afternoon. Though involuntarily as Inukashi had blown up his phone with an unnecessary amount of text messages.

He scoffed at the idiot who was, quite literally, hounding him so early in the morning.

The first text was ignored, the second marked at urgent. Around that time, two or three calls had been placed before a message had been sent again and at this point, he'd lost count of exactly how many were left over in his most likely filled inbox.

Lazily, he scrolled through the messages, all labeled with the same subject.

**Inukashi **

**Urgent**

**Sub: Shion **

**Have you heard from Shion?**

The next basically read the same, excluding the impatience.

**Nezumi, have you heard from Shion?**

As he flipped his phone and skimmed the next three, they were all asking the same, annoying question. Surely if Inukashi wanted to see Shion so badly, she was more than capable of looking for him on his own.

He thumbed a fast reply, shoving the phone underneath his pillow and laying down on top of it, book in hand. The phone persisted violently and he swore, knowing he'd forgotten to switch the audio to mute.

Three more messages were received before he was able to finish reading the first. The three were just as impatient as the first. This time, they spoke of urgency.

**You have to find Shion, fast. I don't have time to explain. **

With shaky hands, he shoved his book away into the unknown depths of his room where piles of books lay stacked beside his bed. He gave his rats a stern look. "Find Shion." Upon command, without so much as another word, they were off.

Nezumi jumped to his feet and in an attempt to regain composure, stuffed both hands inside his pockets. If this was all a set up by Inukashi..well, he wouldn't have the pleasure of seeing Nezumi's pained face.

On the other hand, if something really happened and Shion was in that type of situation..

He quickly shrugged off the lingering thoughts and scolded himself, knowing his petty worry wouldn't help the situation. So, without allowing another feeble minded thought slip past his control, he walked himself out of his dorm, into the cold.

The snow had lifted quite a bit, but wind was blowing and frost blanketed the crass. The marble floor was buried with broken pieces of hail and slippery ice that proved to be a bit difficult to navigate smoothly across. But, he never faltered and kept his gaze ahead.

The fog had lessened until it was no longer present and the sun was shining, slightly. Much shade remained and clouds were, at this point, a majority. Even so, the fact the sky was just the slightest blue was comforting enough, somehow.

On a whim, he wandered out to the front parking lot, where no car sat, for miles around. And he knew why. Around this time of year, it was foolish to park underneath the winter stricken trees. Snow dangerously lingered over the top of the weak branches. Occasionally, before the snow had a chance to fall, the branch had broken in half and collapsed underneath the weight, crushing whoever's car sat innocently underneath. It was troublesome when students and staff arrived to such a sight. Abandoned, frosty and snow covered cars remained, few with broken windshields or dented hoods.

However, that was common knowledge around the campus so it was a wonder why a single black car was parked out front. It was difficult to make out the figures standing before the vehicle through the distance, but he assumed they were here for a good reason.

There wasn't a student or professor around. He figured the weather was still a bit too chilly to handle, but personally, he didn't mind one bit. He preferred snow over the flaming sun, any day.

His eyes widened as he spotted the white hair. Had Shion forgotten to cover it this morning?

He kept his distance, fearful of what he may overhear, should he approach. Those men looked official, each dressed in black from head to toe, save for the similar red tie's, tightened around the collar. Their heads were hidden by the wool hats they wore, and their necks by matching gray scarves.

One man opened the door to the car that looked just on the verge of frost bite. The windows had noticeably been melted down with lukewarm water, but the trunk and hood were quickly showing signs of white. Shion took a look at the car and shook his head, offering what looked to be, at Nezumi's angle, a smile. The second man bowed his head in a way that seemed apologetic and opened his mouth to speak, but Shion was already walking away.

The situation had escalated to odd proportions as the second man grabbed his shoulder, proceeding to nothing more than Shion spinning around and flicking the rude hand away. Impatiently, he reached into his belt and pulled out what looked like two metallic loops that formed a fashion similar to that of handcuffs. Nezumi decided, he was right and refrained from holding his breath as Shion was roughly bent over the frosty hood of the car. His discomfort must have prompted a struggle but before he could free himself, the handcuffs had been placed over both hands and confined him to the freezing hood.

Nezumi had rushed over to the scene as soon as the ordeal had processed. He was greeted by two stern faces and a Shion, gasping for, preferably warm, air.

"What the hell is going on?" he snapped. His hands remained in his pocket and he avoiding Shion's gaze, knowing he couldn't take the everlasting sadness he was sure to wear at that moment.

He who held Shion down was the first to speak, "I assure you, nothing is wrong. We were dispatched as soon as we were informed of the contagion scare that erupted as soon as the boy had enrolled. We're here to take him back to the hospital and quarantine him, where we will decide whether or not he is fit to return to school."

"Really? Who called you? I was never aware of any virus and Shion has showed no signs of-"

"Please, these aren't our orders. Our job is to take him into custody while the situation is being checked out. Should the disease spread to any other people, we will surely have an epidemic-"

"But that's not it, is it?" he lowered his voice and bowed his head, eyes locked on the icy floor.

The men exchanged strict looks, glancing between Shion who continued to struggle, and Nezumi whose naturally thick atmosphere was enough to kill a man.

Hesitantly, the man holding the door open began, "..That's true. We were also hoping to recover a few blood samples while he's in our care. You see, so far none of the patients have been willing to return to their designated hospitals and should another outbreak arise, we would like to run a few..tests. If they've managed to survive, they may have developed antibodies and as such.." he trailed off.

Nezumi released an annoyed sigh, "There must be a reason they wont return to the hospital, am I right? Just how poorly were they treated while they were '_in your care_', I wonder?" he left no room for interruption, "I must say, I'm a little surprised that you're so desperate. If you really took the time to look over the situation, you would have realized by now that no such contagion scares have erupted..Though, I guess I can see why you're worried. It's only been a week.."

Shion slipped himself free of the handcuffs but remained restrained as the man hooked both arms around his waist. Desperately, he reached out for Nezumi.

"Let me go!" he yelled, tears looming menacingly over his beautiful red eyes, "Nezumi, help me! I don't want to go back, please help me!"

By then, Nezumi was well aware that his self control was slipping with every passing moment. Seeing Shion in this much pain..It wasn't natural. Nothing was supposed to tug at his heart like this, and he made damn sure of it. However..seeing as the kid was already quite the rule breaker, he figured it might not hurt to..bend a bit.

He flipped his phone open and raised his voice, "This was fun but we're obviously not going to reach an understanding. As much as I _hate_ to do this, if you don't let him go, I'm going to have to make a phone call to a very important person. I don't suppose either of you want that kind of power riding you, do you?"

"..Who are you calling?"

"Are you saying you would put our jobs on the line for the sake of this kid? For all we know, he may have infected you too, by now!"

He raised his hand, silencing. "And what if he did? It's not like I mind whatever diseases I contract from this kid. He is my roommate, after all. Anyways, I'll skip the formalities. I know a man who has the money to buy out your little experiment as a whole. Wouldn't want that, now would we? Because whose fault would that be, if the _epidemic_ were to resurface and no cures were found?"

"T-That!" he pointed towards the man who continued to restrain Shion, despite the struggle at hand, "That kid is the answer. If the disease were to leak to the public any further, his blood has the capability to save us all. We _need_ him! You can't just run and shut us down, when we're so close to a cure!"

Nezumi nodded, "I'm sure. However.."

The phone rang.

"Here he is now. I suggest you make your decision, _quickly_. You see, I'm not a very patient man.."

Though the men shot harsh glares, they exchanged a bitter gaze and the man dropped Shion. He fell, but instinctively crawled away, breaking into a run until he met Nezumi in a rough crash. He looked down on the man he'd just knocked over and smiled apologetically, tears evident.

As much as Nezumi would have loved to scream, he bit his tongue. The silence was everlasting and for the moment, all he knew was the soft, gentleness of winter snow and the underlying pain in Shion's otherwise graceful smile. Hardly thinking, he wrapped his arms around Shion's waist and pulled him close.

Shion didn't seem to mind.

* * *

That night, all questions were answered.

Nezumi sat down on Shion's bed, next to the man in question, bearing a hot cup of cocoa. Shion thanked him for the kind gesture and placed the mug on his dresser, allowing it to cool off. Nezumi followed suit but his eyes never left Shion's. He was the first to break the comfortable silence.

"Do you think you're ready to talk about it?"

Slowly, he nodded. "I think it's much easier now. Thank you, Nezumi."

All day long Nezumi had stuck himself to Shion's side, and listened as Shion poured his heart out about everything except the subject at hand. He'd yet to divulge any specific reason as to why a couple of strange men were after him-not that it wasn't obvious. The real question lied within the reason Shion was so against returning to the seemingly dreaded hospital.

"..I guess..I should start from the beginning. The day I contracted the disease, I was kidnapped by those same men and taken to the hospital, along with my friend, Safu. She seemed allot more..calm about the situation. Even though she didn't have the disease..she faked it, in order to accompany me. I told her..I told her that she didn't have to, but she persisted..She's always been this way, as long as I could remember..ever since we were young. Always wanting to somehow..do everything and anything possible, with me."

"Safu is a childhood friend of yours?" In all honesty, he couldn't have cared one little bit..but pushing Shion was out of the question. He didn't want to force the answers out of him. He wanted Shion to adjust..at his own pace.

Shion nodded, and glanced at his mug, in hopes that the steam had died down a bit. When the temperature met his satisfaction, he took a sip. Nezumi did the same, paying no real mind to the cocoa, temperature, or the taste. His main focus lied in front of him, for reasons he couldn't quite place.

"I was taken to the hospital and we were placed in the same room, per request. We were side by side.. I told her to go home but..she wouldn't listen. As soon as the doctor walked in, a sudden pain erupted from the back of my neck..It felt as though I was being eaten on the inside. It was unbearable and I blacked out..When I woke up, I was strapped down to a table wearing nothing but my shorts."

He took another long sip, and smiled. "I'm sorry I'm taking so long, you deserve to know. It's just.."

Nezumi waved it off, "It doesn't matter to me, Shion. I'm not in the place to ask you. Therefore, you're not obligated to tell me. I wasn't going to pry but at this point, information would definitely be useful."

He smiled, "Right...My eyesight was blurry and the room seemed to move in slow motion. It was a side affect of the drugs they gave me, so I wouldn't feel any pain. It wasn't working, because I felt everything, but I guess they figured it was enough. Without really thinking, I struggled but Safu began to scream. When I looked at her.." he shifted uncomfortably, "They were drawing blood, and lots of it. It almost looked lethal..I feared for her life."

"They were taking her blood, even though she had no affiliation with the disease?"

Nodding, he took another sip of cocoa before gathering the nerve to continue, "I tried to forget everything after that, but now that I'm sitting here retelling my story, it's just like I'm reliving it."

"..Shion, you know you don't-"

"I know." he smiled, "I know, but as I've said, you deserve an explanation. Nezumi is so kind..if that means retelling my story, getting everything off my chest, I'll do it."

Nezumi bit his smile and acknowledged the foreign feeling thrumming deep within his chest. He wasn't quite sure, but he was positive that particular feeling had something to do with the boy in front of him-who, in turn, was the underlying cause of most everything that had occurred on campus recently. Even so, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of person Shion was, truly. A boy able to contaminate his emotion so easily..

His thoughts trailed off before he realized he wasn't listening. Shion didn't seem to notice, staring at his own feet. He must have said something about Safu, because his smile faltered.

"She wouldn't tell me anything after that. They took so much blood..she couldn't speak for a while. When she recovered, she refused to speak to me. Since then, it's like there's been a..rift. She's almost an entirely different person now...The rest of that week, I was alone. They moved me to a private room...I can't remember much; I must have passed out allot. What I do remember..was men in lab coats. They stood around me, analyzing me, talking to me even though I was barely coherent. Then they'd draw more and more blood and study me. At one point, they performed surgery on my neck and removed the larvae to what seemed like a killer bee...but they didn't use any anesthetic."

"None at all?"

Shion nodded, but before he continued, he decided to lean on Nezumi's shoulder. Nezumi didn't mind, but something seemed..off. The boy seemed a little tired, and fighting his better judgement, he laid back. Shion followed suit, until the two were face to face. Lost within content silence, Shion fell fast asleep, in the comfort of Nezumi.

Nezumi, on the other hand, was sure this would be the longest night he'd had in a while.

* * *

The next morning didn't come quite as much as of a shock as he'd expected. Shion was still asleep when he awoke but somewhere over the course of the night, much like before, Shion had begun to cling to Nezumi in his sleep. It wasn't that Nezumi entirely..minded, it was just that he wasn't quite sure what to do when he woke up.

"Nezumi?" Shion tiredly yawned, grabbing hold of Nezumi's sleeve as he raised himself off the bed.

He looked down at the tired eyed boy and smiled, "Morning, Shion. Sleep well?"

He nodded, reaching out to grab Nezumi. Without warning, he hooked Nezumi around the neck and took them both back down to the comforts of the mattress.

Whether he was tired, or he wasn't quite coherent, the words slipped out of Shion's mouth.

"Nezumi, I really like you. Will you stay with me for a while, until I wake up?"

Nezumi halted any movement for a moment. Though hesitant, he leaned in closer, closing the gap between the two.

Shion welcomed the gentle kiss and as soon as it was over, nuzzled into Nezumi's chest.

Nezumi, surprised at his own actions, decided that resistance was futile. He gave in to Shion, and kissed the top of his head. "..I think I like you too, Shion. Allot, actually.."

Shion said nothing, mumbling something incoherent that sounded allot like 'Nezumi'.

He shrugged it off and laid back, quietly.

"You really are kind of an air head, you know?"

He wasn't quite sure how things would work out. He knew this wasn't the end of their trials, and no one else was capable of realizing what a gem Shion truly was. But, somewhere along the way, he'd decided that as long as he remained by Shion's side, nothing else mattered.

And maybe, just maybe, when Nezumi made his feelings known, Shion would feel the same way.

* * *

**A/N: That's it, I'm done. This is the end. I can't comprehend how much I love this couple but I just don't do them any justice. It's shameful. **

** Anyway, enough of that. I really wanted to finish this before I began working on another fic, because I'm getting into the bad habit of jumping into another before I finish one and it's overwhelming. **

** Now..I don't really have much else to say.**


End file.
